


Wild Flower

by Alley_Cat



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Drama, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-07
Updated: 2013-03-07
Packaged: 2017-12-04 13:39:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/711355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alley_Cat/pseuds/Alley_Cat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bella found the field of wildflowers purely by accident when she went riding one day. She did not expect to meet a certain green-eyed man there, nor did she expect to fall in love with him. He broke her heart in that field, but he had also mended it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wild Flower

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chartwilightmom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chartwilightmom/gifts).



> This story was written for CharTwilightMom using her specifications (and throwing in some of my imagination) in the Easter Bunny Twilight Fic Swap Event. 
> 
> Thank you to the wonderful editing team who helped me polish this one up: I.T.P, thalia-csiny, SqueakyZorro, Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen, Simaril, and Lacrimosa moon.
> 
> All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The original plot is the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Wildflower**

Bella walked slowly down the narrow, well-worn path in the middle of a field of wildflowers. It had been her favorite place in the entire world ever since she first discovered it a few years ago. This meadow held countless memories for her, some happy, some sad, but she cherished each and every one of them.

She could still remember the first time she stumbled upon the field by accident. It was also the first time she met the man who would star in her dreams ever since.

o.O.o

Bella’s father, Charlie, had remarried after Bella’s mother died during childbirth. Renée left Charlie with two young kids—Emmett was three when Bella was born—and he had no idea what to do with them. He did his best for a while, and when Bella was six, he met Elizabeth. Elizabeth was a quiet woman, but she had strength in her seemingly peaceful demeanor. She had three kids of her own—Alice, who was Bella’s age, and twin daughters, Lauren and Jessica, who were two years younger than Bella. Like Charlie, Elizabeth had also lost a spouse early in her marriage. Those two seemed to fit.

Bella loved her stepmother, but sometimes the amount of people in the house was just too much for her. That was the case on that fateful day when she first saw her green-eyed stranger in the wildflower field.

It was a sunny afternoon during spring break. Emmett had brought his girlfriend, Rosalie, to meet the family. They had met in college, and this was the first time Emmett had a chance to bring home the girl he kept talking about to meet his parents and siblings. Alice—who had always been a social butterfly—had decided to throw a pool party and invited her boyfriend of six months, Alec Grant. Charlie and Elizabeth had known Mr. and Mrs. Grant for many years, and it was not uncommon for the couples to meet, so when Alec was invited, his parents decided to drop by as well. The small gathering quickly turned into a big outdoor barbeque. Lauren and Jessica invited several of their friends from school—Bella only remembered the names of Mike and Tyler out of the group of seven teenagers that had showed up on their doorstep—and the party was in full swing.

Bella was tired from all the noise. She was always more of the shy type, preferring books to shopping trips—those were Alice’s territory—and the large number of people was not her idea of fun. Although they were living on a large ranch just outside of Austin, Texas, she could not find one single corner in the house that day where she could just have a moment of peace. The noise carried all the way to her room with the music and chatter being so loud.

She finally decided to take her horse, Tara, for a ride. Packing a bottle of water, a sandwich, and her sketching supplies, she decided to go north of the ranch, where she knew there was a stream crossing her father’s land and thought it would provide some nice scenery to sketch.

She kept Tara to a slow trot, enjoying the light breeze. At first, Bella had kept to the trails, but at some point, her ears caught the sound of running water. She turned toward the small river, and followed it until she reached a clearing near the water. Getting off Tara, Bella tied the reins around a low bench next to the stream, leaving the chestnut-colored mare to nibble on the grass. She walked over to the stream and washed her hands, splashing some of the cool water on her face as well.

Bella was just about to sit on the riverbank when her eyes caught something from between the shrubs on the other side of the stream. As it was not very deep, she easily made her way to the other side and beyond the greenery.

Her breath caught in her throat as she gazed upon the beauty before her. It was a field of wildflowers, all blossoming in the most beautiful natural carpet.

She ended up spending several hours in that field, making dozens of sketches of the different flowers. Just as the wind picked up, Bella felt someone watching her. Her head snapped up and she looked around to find that a man had walked into the field and was now watching her.

“I’m sorry,” the man apologized. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I just saw your horse tied over by the river and wanted to make sure no one was stranded here and in need of help.”

Bella was momentarily stunned by the beautiful stranger. His sun-kissed skin painted him as a Texan, but she was certain that she had never seen him before and assumed he must have either just moved in the area or returned after being away for college. His well-worn Stetson was shading over his eyes, preventing her from telling their color. He was tall, much taller than she was, and his body told her that he was no stranger to physical labor. His shoulders were wide, and his biceps were prominent. She guessed that he must be at least in his early twenties, making him at least four years older than her seventeen years.

“I’m okay,” she finally said when she realized that she had been gaping at him for several minutes without speaking. She blushed and looked away, busying herself with gathering her pencils and folding her sketchpad.

“Please, stay,” he said, coming closer to her. “There is still plenty of daylight left. You don’t have to leave now.”

Bella chanced a glance at the stranger and was startled to see that he had kneeled beside her. From the new position, his face was leveled with hers, allowing her to see the striking features despite the Stetson still casting a shadow over them. His eyes were the most unusual shade of blue-green she had ever seen. It was like someone had taken a palette of greens and blues and just splashed them around, throwing a fleck or two of yellow into the mix.

“I really must leave,” she murmured, blushing fiercely. “I apologize for trespassing.”

“That’s okay,” he said. He took a step back, seeming to understand that his presence was causing her some degree of distress. “I know the owner. He wouldn’t mind as long as you didn’t set fire to the place.”

Bella hugged her sketchbook to her chest. “Oh.”

The man chuckled. It was a hearty sound, a deep rumbling that came from his belly. “I hope that you will come again, Flor Silvestre.”

Blushing again, she hid behind her long hair and rushed to her horse. Remembering her manners, she managed to call, “Thank you, goodbye,” before leaving, but even that was said without looking at him.

“Until we meet again, Flor.”

o.O.o

Bella had not told anyone about the man she had met or the field of wildflowers she had found. Alice was the closest thing she had to a girlfriend, but Bella felt that she wanted to keep the man and the field a secret. However, not speaking about either did not mean that she had forgotten. The man had begun making appearances in her dreams, always speaking in that lyrical husky tone he had used in his parting words.

She had not returned to the stream or the field during the next several days, as her presence on the ranch was needed, but on the last day before she went back to school, she decided to chance another visit.

Once again, she packed a bottle of water, some snacks, and her sketching supplies. She tried to tell herself that she was not going there to see him again, but she knew that that was a lie.

The ride to the stream seemed longer this time, and Bella began fearing that she had imagined the whole thing by the time she finally found the right clearing.

Bella tied Tara in the shade and crossed the stream to the other side. Just like the first time she had seen it, the field of blue, green, orange, and red took her breath away. So taken by the sight she was that she had temporarily forgotten about the man she had hoped to see. She settled in the middle of the meadow and took out her pencils.

She began with individual flowers this time, instead of drawing the landscape. She soon became engrossed in her task, going through several pages of sketches before her attention was pulled away by a shadow cast over the paper.

“What are you drawing today, Flor?” he asked in a casual tone, coming to sit next to her.

He did not sit too close, to avoid making her feel crowded, but she could not escape the effect he had on her even from miles away. She blushed, murmuring, “Just the flowers.”

“Do you know the names of the flowers you’re drawing?”

“Only the bluebonnets.”

“Well, this one that you have here is called morning glory,” he said. “The one you were drawing before is called Indian paintbrush.”

She chanced a surprised look at him. “How do _you_ know their names?”

He pulled off his hat and ran a hand though the thick mass of curls that frames his face, reaching almost to his chin. She tried to find a name for the color, but just like his eyes, his hair seemed to have invented its own hue. She saw brown and red highlights intermixed between thick strands of almost corn-yellow locks and was distracted by the way one of his curls fell down on his forehead, becoming nearly white in the sunlight.

“I guess I picked that up here and there,” he finally said.

She felt hurt that he was avoiding her question, although she had no right to be, and her smile—that had already formed, subconsciously—faded.

“Where did you learn how to paint?”

“I sketch,” she corrected, the words coming out a little sharper than she had intended them to. Painting, in her opinion, was something that little kids and crazy modern idiots who knew nothing about art did, and she was neither a child nor an idiot. “I take art classes in school, but it’s just a hobby,” she added to soften her previous statement.

“You’re very talented.”

It was nothing more than an observation, but she still felt her cheeks grow warm again. “Thank you.”

He shrugged.

Bella felt tense for the next few minutes, her hand shaking as she tried to resume her sketching, but she soon forgot about not being alone.

“You should drink something,” he said after about thirty minutes of being quiet.

“Huh?” She lifted her eyes from the paper and looked at him with confusion.

“Did you bring some water with you?” he asked. “You should drink, or you’ll get dehydrated.”

“Oh! Um, yeah, I have...” She looked around herself for her small bag and, once she found it, took out a bottle of water. “Thank you.”

He smiled at her, and she froze halfway through opening the bottle. Never before had a smile affected her in the way his did at that moment. His eyes crinkled slightly, his lips curved, and just a hint of a dimple appeared on the right side of his mouth. She looked up from his pink lips to his blue-green eyes and then back down to his mouth. She couldn’t look away.

He brought one hand to gently touch her jaw, and the contact was the softest she had ever felt. Normally, she did not like people—especially strangers—touching her. This man’s touch was different. It was almost familiar, as though he had already touched her cheeks, his thumb caressing her bottom lip, a hundred times in the past.

She glanced up into his eyes once again, and her breath caught in her throat. They had become slightly darker, the green taking over the blue.

Bella had imagined how her first kiss would be many times in the past, but when his lips touched hers for the very first time, it was better than anything she could have imagined.

It was hesitant at first, just a soft peck of his lips on hers. She was almost too shocked to respond. When his tongue made a pass over her bottom lip, she inhaled sharply and opened her mouth for him. He took her then, slanting his warm mouth over hers, and holding her close to him with one hand on the back of her head.

She made a protesting sound when he pulled back a little, but he was only giving her a pause to breathe. His mouth returned to hers, and this time she hesitantly touched her tongue over his. She was rewarded with a very quiet moan that encouraged her to do that again.

Bella lost track of time, lost in his kiss as she was.

When he pulled back one final time, he cupped her face with both hands and whispered, “You are absolutely breathtaking, Flor.”

She smiled brilliantly, even though her cheeks still colored.

He released her to pick up the water bottle that had fallen to the grass and opened it for her. “Drink.”

Bella giggled but obeyed. When she was done drinking, she placed the bottle in her bag and felt him gently pull her to lean into him. The light was changing with the setting sun, and she knew that she would have to leave soon; but for the next few moments, she felt perfectly happy to listen to the steady beating of his heart.

o.O.o

Bella returned to her home with stars in her eyes, her cheeks still turning pink whenever she thought back to that kiss, which she had done almost nonstop ever since they had parted.

She was in such a good mood that even the prospect of going back to school in the morning couldn’t spoil the night for her. She was slowly humming to herself as she went through her evening chores and arranged her schoolbag, and when she went to bed, she fell asleep with a smile on her lips.

Over the next couple of days, Alice had grilled her, trying to discover why her sister was walking on cloud nine, but Bella wasn’t saying anything. Eventually, thoughts of prom and everything it would entail took precedence over discovering Bella’s secret, and Alice decided to leave her alone.

As most of her classes were AP and she had various duties around the ranch, Bella had very little spare time. It was another two weeks before she had a moment to herself. She wanted to go to the field of wildflowers, wanted to see him again, but she had a paper to write for English and a project in Chemistry that took up most of her time.

When she was finally able to sneak out on a Sunday morning, he wasn’t there. She waited for him for several hours, unable to concentrate on her sketching or the book that she had brought along with her, but he never came.

She told herself that she was being silly. He had no way of knowing when she would be there, and he probably had things to do just like she did. It didn’t help, though. She returned home that night with tears shining in her eyes and her mood sullen.

She found excuses to slip out every weekend since then, hoping to find him there at least once. She wanted to ask him for his name, where he lived, his number, but she never found him there. Eventually, she decided that she was being a fool and stopped going to the field of wildflowers.

o.O.o

The Swans took the entire family for a vacation in Italy for the first two weeks of summer, Rosalie and Alec coming along for the ride. Bella was glad for the chance of a change of scenery, hoping to be able to stop thinking about the green-eyed cowboy who had gifted her with her first kiss. She was also excited by the opportunity to see the Sistine Chapel in person.

It was just as amazing as she had thought it would be. The paintings and sculptures in the Vatican captured her attention just as she had hoped, and for two wonderful weeks, Bella fell in love with Rome.

She was sad to leave but found herself missing her wildflower field. She was almost able to forget about the man who had hurt her, but the peacefulness of the place still spoke to her. So on the morning after getting back home, Bella packed her bag with snacks, water, a book, and her sketching supplies and went to the stables.

She first took Tara for a long stroll, allowing the mare to stretch her legs. When sweat made Bella’s shirt stick to her back like second skin, she slowed Tara down and steered her down the narrow path that led to the field.

She located it with ease. Dismounting Tara, she told herself that she was not hoping to see him there and that if she did, she’d ignore him. The words did no good to calm her racing heart or to squelch the hope that was rising in her chest with each step she took.

Just before passing through the ferns, Bella closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She reminded herself that she came to the field to have some time on her own, to relax and unwind.

“Welcome back, Flor,” his voice greeted her as soon as she entered the field.

She stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes glued to him. He was just as handsome as she remembered. His welcoming smile was just as warm and mesmerizing as she imagined it would be.

Her feet began to move before she had even consciously thought of approaching him.

He unhooked his thumbs from the loops of his jeans and brought his hands before him, palms facing up. His smile grew wider with each step she made.

She felt herself smile in reply. Suddenly, she couldn’t move fast enough. She ran the last few steps and threw herself in his arms.

He picked her up with ease, twirling her around several times before putting her back down on her feet. He looked down at her glistening eyes and kissed her.

She smiled against his lips, kissing him back with fervor. She had missed him so much. Being held by him, feeling those large hands pressing her body close to the hardness of his muscles, was the best remedy to her heart.

“How’s your summer so far, Flor?”

“It’s getting better now,” she said, teasing him.

He chuckled. “I aim to please.”

“Why do you keep calling me Flor? I have a name, you know.” She didn’t mind the nickname much, but she was curious.

He shrugged. “I like having a special name for you, one that only I use.”

“Will you ever tell me what your name is?”

She thought she could see sadness in his expression before he said, “Maybe one day, when it is time.”

“What should I call you then?”

“Anything you like, Flor.”

Bella wanted to prompt him further, but he distracted her by kissing her again.

“I can never get enough of your taste,” he murmured as he kissed her. “Ever since I kissed you, I can think of nothing else but doing it again.”

She shivered at the sound of those words. They had been said in such a heated, husky tone that she felt both excited and apprehensive. She loved his kisses, but she didn’t think that she was comfortable with more.

He seemed to know her limits, though, as he gently pulled her to sit on a patch of grass and settled for playing with her hair while she sketched.

She found herself telling him about her vacation, animatedly sketching some of the statues she had seen in Italy. She tried to ask him about his summer, but he seemed to be uncomfortable talking about it. All he would say was that he had been busy with his work and taking care of some family business but that he had missed her very much.

She leaned to kiss him when he whispered those words to her, thrilled to know that he valued her company just as much as she did his.

o.O.o

That summer was the best summer Bella could remember in her life. She found herself smiling almost constantly, and even Alice’s insistence that she must come with her for a shopping trip did not dampen her mood.

She knew that her sister was curious about what was going on. She thought that she should have known that Alice wouldn’t put up with her keeping a secret for long.

Alice cornered her in the dressing rooms while Bella was trying on a pair of jeans.

“Alice!” Bella hissed. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, shut it. You ain’t got anything I haven’t got myself.” Alice waved her off. “Now spill!”

“What?”

“Who is that guy who’s been putting a big fat smile on your face for the entire summer?” Alice demanded. “I have been patient, but you’re not sharing, and that’s not nice! I always tell you about Alec.”

Bella would have said something along the lines of, “that’s none of your business,” but she could see that Alice was truly hurt. Ever since their parents had married, Alice had been Bella’s closest friend, despite the differences in their personalities.

Bella was the first one Alice told when Alec had asked her on a date, and the one to giggle at her when Alice returned with stars in her eyes after he had kissed her for the first time. Bella was the one Alice confided in.

“I’m sorry, Alice.” Bella pulled the jeans on and went to hug her sister. “I promise to tell you, but please don’t tell anyone.”

“Can I tell Alec?” Alice pouted.

The pout was irresistible on its own, but Bella also knew that it would be pointless for her to ask Alice not to tell Alec. Those two were so close that he’d get it out of her without even trying. Alec was as much Alice’s best friend as she was, and Bella knew it.

“Well, remember when Emmett brought Rosalie on spring break?”

“And you sneaked out as soon as you could?” Alice teased. “Sure do.”

Bella rolled her eyes. “Well, I found a field of wildflowers...”

Bella told her everything then, including the kissing, which had Alice squealing so loud that one of the salesladies approached them to see if everything was okay.

“You are a bad influence, Mary Alice Brandon Swan!”

“I learned from the best, Isabella Marie Swan.” Alice stuck her tongue out.

“Very mature, Alice.” Bella was trying to be stern but couldn’t help laughing. “Now get out of here, I need to try on the rest of the clothes in the pile you shoved at me.”

Alice rolled her eyes, mumbling something unintelligible under her breath, but left Bella alone in the stall.

By the time they were finished with the clothes and the school supplies, both girls were hungry, so they decided to sit in a café for lunch rather than driving the hour back to the ranch.

“So, how are you going to find out what his name is?” Alice asked after they had given their orders to the waitress.

“I don’t think I’m going to snoop,” Bella said. “I kind of like calling him my green-eyed cowboy.”

“I could never do that. I’m too curious.” Alice shrugged.

“You’ve always lacked patience,” Bella teased.

Alice threw her napkin at her. “Have not!”

“Missed me.” Bella giggled. “Now, want to tell me why you’ve been eyeing the Victoria’s Secret window for the better part of this morning?” Alice blushed, and Bella looked at her with wide eyes. “You didn’t!”

“No, not yet,” Alice mumbled.

“But?”

“I’m thinking about it?”

Bella gave an Alice-like squeal that had her sister laughing at her.

“I never thought I’d hear you squeal, Bella.”

“Oh, shush. Now, spill!” Bella demanded, using Alice’s words against her.

“Fine.” Alice lowered her tone and leaned closer to Bella. “You know that night when Alec and I went on a double date with his brother, Peter, and his girlfriend, Charlotte?”

Bella nodded. “Last week.”

“Well, Peter and Char decided that they were going to a party instead, and that left the house to just Alec and me.”

“Ooh!” Bella’s eyes widened. “Did you...? I mean, how far...?”

They were interrupted by the arrival of the salads and drinks, but as soon as the waitress was out of earshot, Alice replied. “We didn’t go all the way, but I did get my shirt off, and Alec just _loved_ that purple lacy bra that I got for my last birthday.”

Bella knew which one Alice was talking about because she was the one who gave Alice the VS gift card for her birthday, as well as being the one who was promptly dragged to the mall the very next day to help her pick out the set.

“So you want to get a few more sets to make sure that the next time he gets a glimpse...”

“Well, he might be getting more than a glimpse the next time we have the house to ourselves.”

Bella tried not to squeal, placing both hands on her mouth, but she was still bouncing in her seat.

“If this is how I look like when I’m excited, I can’t imagine how people aren’t running away from me.”

It was Bella’s turn to throw a napkin at Alice. “Shut up! I can’t believe you’re actually going to do it.”

“Well, we’ve been together for almost a year now. I’m ready.” Alice had a brilliant smile on her lips. “I love him, and I want us to take the next step.”

“You are so lucky, Alice.” Bella sighed.

“I’m about to get lucky,” Alice teased, making Bella laugh. “So will you come with me to Victoria’s Secret after lunch?”

“Sure, why not?”

o.O.o

As the school year started up again, Bella found that the workload had more than doubled for her. Senior year was much harder than she had anticipated at first, but after the first two months, she felt that she was finally on top of things. She took comfort in the weekends when she’d meet her cowboy. They no longer just stayed in the wildflower field. They would take walks near the stream or meet up for a short ride.

The first time he had asked to see her on the following week, she was ecstatic. He told her to dress comfortably and that he would have a surprise for her.

When she approached their meeting place, riding on Tara’s back, Bella was nearly stunned to silence to see the beautiful stallion standing there. It took her several moments to even glance up at the man on the horse and see the smile he was wearing.

“I see that you’ve finally decided to notice that I was here.” He winked at her. “Never thought I’d be competing with my horse for attention.”

Bella blushed. “It’s a beautiful animal. You can’t blame me for admiring it.”

“Just as long as you remember that I’m the only one who’s allowed to give you kisses.” He maneuvered his horse to stand next to Bella.

“You might want to remind me about that kisses clause.”

He leaned over and took her mouth with his, reminding her just how mind-blowing his kisses were. She might not have had any kissing experience prior to kissing him—or with anyone other than him since then—but she was sure that no one else could make her feel the way he did.

He took her riding that day, going further than she had ever gone before. She felt safe, though. He was there beside her, making sure that he never rode too fast for her and that they took plenty of breaks. She found this endearing. She was no stranger to long rides, and she’d told him as much, but he was still being caution and gentle.

During the ride, Bella told him about her fondest memories of her childhood, about her many siblings, and even about her dreams for the future. He was a great listener, and he seemed to want to know everything he possibly could about her. She found herself talking her mouth dry sometimes, which was when he’d promptly produce the bottle of water and tell her to drink, or so it seemed to her.

She hoped that by opening up to him, he would feel more comfortable about volunteering information about himself, but he was just as guarded as always. He would answer her questions if she asked something directly that he couldn’t avoid—such as telling her that he learned his Spanish from his mother—but he wouldn’t volunteer information. Certain things seemed to be off limits completely, Bella discovered that day, like anything regarding his father’s second marriage, his stepmother, or his birthmother’s death. She knew herself what it felt like when someone pried into sensitive issues—and the complicated mix of pain, sadness, and anger in his eyes whenever one of those subjects was brought up—so she did not pry further; instead, she enjoyed what he did share with her, even if it was not much.

o.O.o

Bella knew that she was falling in love with her cowboy, but as he never said anything about his feelings, she felt too insecure to tell him the actual words. She was certain that he felt something for her, as he was so attentive and caring whenever they had spent time together, but she didn’t know what or how strong it was.

The only one who knew about how she felt was Alice. Ever since Bella opened up to her during their shopping trip, Alice was the one person Bella told about her dates with her cowboy, and Alice did not allow her to spare any of the details. When Bella slid her hand under his shirt—just shortly before her eighteenth birthday—Alice was squealing right there with her, and when Bella told her that he had had his hands down her shirt as well, Alice took Bella bra-shopping, deeming that she needed a good set for when she was ready for him to take her shirt completely off.

The cold weather put a damper on their progress, but he seemed to be just as comfortable with them building a fire in a clearing just near the wildflower meadow and snuggling under a blanket.

On one such sitting, he suddenly turned to her and asked, “Would you come with me to see my house?”

“I’d love to, when?”

“Now?”

She stared at him in shock for several moments. It was the first time he had offered to share something personal about himself that didn’t relate to his opinions about politics or his taste in music, movies, and books. “Um, sure.”

“Come on, then.”

She smiled at his enthusiasm. He seemed to be just as excited about the prospect of sharing this with her as she was.

They mounted their horses—Bella was riding Tara, and he was riding his stallion, Storm—and he began leading them down the path to his house.

The ride was not very long, but Bella could not imagine him walking to the meadow before he started riding Storm to their encounters. It was just too far.

Seeing the question in her eyes, he said, “I find the walk to the meadow somewhat calming, even though it’s a bit long. I hope you don’t mind the mess. I wasn’t expecting anyone.”

Bella smiled at the apologetic expression on his face. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

It was just another five minutes before she saw the small wooden cottage on the edge of what looked like a very large ranch. There were several other cottages—equally as small—scattered in the visible area, and Bella surmised that it must be the workers’ quarters.

She wondered if this was the reason he had never brought her there, that he was embarrassed at being a simple worker while she was the daughter of a wealthy ranch-owner. She wanted to tell him that she did not care about any of that but decided that she didn’t want to hurt his pride.

She could see a man walking away from one of the houses and waved when he saw them approaching. She noticed that her cowboy had returned the greeting with a nervous smile, and this confirmed the assumption in her mind.

He dismounted Storm and assisted her in dismounting Tara. They tied the horses in front of the porch—neither was planning on staying long, so they didn’t take the horses to the stables—and ascended the three stairs leading to his front door.

He unlocked the door and stepped aside, gesturing for her to come in. “Welcome to my humble abode.”

“Abode?” She giggled.

“I thought it sounded better than calling it my crib.” He winked.

Bella laughed and turned to examine the house. She noticed that it was just as small on the inside as it seemed from the outside, but she thought that it felt fairly cozy. The living room was sparsely furnished with a large sofa that seemed well-worn and a huge flat-screen TV. There was a coffee table with what looked like a remote control to a gaming console—she only recognized the item as such because Emmett used to leave his controllers all over the living room, driving Elizabeth mad.

“I’ll give you the grand tour,” he said. “This is the living room, as you can see.” He placed a hand on the small of her back, leading her inside. “Over there is the kitchen. I’m as hopeless in there as you might expect,” he admitted sheepishly.

“So how are you surviving?”

“I can use the microwave.” He shrugged. “They’ve pretty much everything in a ready-made meal or take-out.”

“Yeah, including a heart attack.” She frowned.

“Now, now. No lecturing me about my diet, Missy.” He pressed his finger on the tip of her nose and smiled when she giggled. “Now, on the other side of the vast hall of the living room, we have the bathroom,” he pointed at a closed door, “and my bedroom.” He opened the other door and walked inside.

The room had a large bed in the middle, with a nightstand beside it, and four doors on the opposite wall, one of which was open to show that it was a built-in closet. The bed was unmade; the deep-blue sheets seemed to have been left in the same state since he woke up in that morning.

“Like I said, I wasn’t really expecting company.”

She turned to look at him. “I don’t mind. I like seeing where you sleep. I mean...um, I...” She couldn’t believe she had just blurted that out.

“I like seeing you in my bedroom,” he whispered, lifting her chin up so she would look into his eyes.

She found herself drowning in his eyes. They had darkened again, turning more green than blue. He slowly leaned forward, his eyes glancing between her eyes and her lips. She smiled. She wanted him to kiss her, felt almost as though she would die if he didn’t.

She moaned when his lips finally made contact, wrapping her arms around his neck and throwing his hat off. He smiled against her lips, not breaking their kiss, and slid his hands under her sweater, pressing her body so close to his that he could feel her nipples harden.

Bella arched into him. The chillness of his fingers against her skin—as well as the feeling of his hard chest against her breasts—had her shivering.

“Me encanta el sabor de tu boca,” he murmured between kisses, “la sensación de su piel.” His hands moved to her stomach, and he began caressing the skin just under her breasts, teasing her and driving her slowly out of her mind with desire.

“Touch me,” she pleaded, breathing heavily. She felt her breasts swell almost painfully with the desire to be touched by him.

He cupped her over her bra, his hands large enough to cover her fully, and his hips bucked toward her.

She moaned when she felt his hardness against her hip. She had felt him become hard before, even sat on his lap during one of their make-out sessions and felt the reaction he had had to her, but while before it had caused her to tense, this time it caused the blood in her veins to heat up.

“What are you doing to me?” She moaned when his mouth nibbled on her neck and his hands tugged gently at her nipples.

“What would you like me to do to you?” His voice was gruff and thick, and the question was accompanied by another tug at her breasts.

“I want to feel your hands,” she said.

“Where?” he prompted.

“On my skin.”

“Like this?” he asked and brought his hands to the top of her breasts, placing them just above the line of her bra.

Instead of answering him, she reached behind her back and unfastened her bra.

“Oh, like this.” He gave a small bite on the base of her neck, where her shoulder met her nape. His hands moved the fabric of the bra aside and he was finally able to feel the softness of her skin.

“Yes...” she whispered, leaning her head to the side to give him better access to her neck. She groaned in protest when his mouth and hands suddenly disappeared but sighed in delight when he took off her sweater and bra and resumed his kisses, this time on the other side of her neck.

Encouraged by this, she pushed the hem of his shirt up, wanting to know how it felt to have his chest naked against hers. He obliged, pulling the shirt off almost violently.

“You are so beautiful,” he whispered, staring down at her. “Will you let me kiss your amazing body?” His hands came up to her shoulders, moving in slow circular motions on her skin as they descended toward her breasts. “Will you let me suck on your breasts and drive you absolutely crazy?”

The heat in his eyes and the huskiness in his voice hypnotized her. His words held such sensual promise that she found herself not wanting to object. She nodded, unable to form words coherently. She wanted everything he had to offer, everything he said, and more.

He lifted her in his arms and carried her across the two steps to his bed, placing her on the sheets before climbing on top.  As soon as her head hit the pillow, he lowered his head to lick her nipple, never breaking eye contact with her.

Bella’s breath hitched in her throat as she looked up at him. He was leaning on his knees and elbows, her body trapped between them, and she had never seen a more beautiful sight than his lips wrapped around her flesh. He opened his mouth wider, taking more of her inside, and she was amazed at the wet warmth that was his mouth.

She closed her eyes when his mouth moved to the other breast, giving it the same lavish treatment. Her hands came to his head, pressing him against her. Alice had told her that she enjoyed Alec using his mouth in areas other than her mouth, but Bella never imagined that it could feel so good.

She was writhing underneath his body by the time he switched again. She could feel an urgency building up inside her, like a string that connected her nipples to a fire that was slowly building in her belly. It felt almost too good and yet not good enough.

Her cowboy seemed to know exactly what she needed. He brought one hand between her legs, massaging her thigh with slow movements that matched the movements of his mouth on her breast in their tempo.

She nearly screamed in frustration when his hand finally made contact with that place between her thighs that was beating like a second heart. His fingers began to rub her along the seam of her pants.

“More...Please...” She did not know exactly what she wanted—no, needed—but she knew that he must know. His touches were too practiced, too intentional.

“Will you let me undress you, my sweet Flor?” he murmured, leaning up to look into her eyes. “Will you let me truly taste you?”

She looked up at him in a haze. “Taste me?”

He chuckled. “I forget how innocent you are sometimes. Your kisses are too tempting, your body too sweet for me to resist wanting you.”

“No, don’t stop.” She reached for his hand when he began to pull away. “I want you to teach me.”

He leaned his forehead on hers, closing his eyes for a moment.

“Show me,” she pressed. “Taste me.”

Those whispered words were the last straw, and his mouth came down on hers with such hunger that she gasped before replying in kind. The slow-building fire in her was now a full-blown inferno.

Distracted by his kiss, Bella almost did not notice when his hands unbuttoned her pants and slid down the zipper. It was only when she felt his fingers on the skin of her lower belly just above the line of her panties that she felt her heart jump to her throat.

“Lift up your hips, Flor.”

She did, and he pulled down her pants and panties, moving down the bed to release her from the fabric of both garments.

“I would love to worship your legs, kissing every patch of skin until you go mad”—he grinned in mischief—“but that can wait. I don’t want to delay another second.” He crawled up her thighs, parting them as he went.

She shivered when he skimmed his nose over the curls of her sex, inhaling deeply, but she was completely unprepared for him to stick his tongue out and give her a long lick from her opening to the top of the lips of her sex.

“Oh, God.” She threw her head back, shocked to her very core by how devastatingly good it felt.

He gave her another lick and then whispered, “Jasper, not God.”

She could hear his smile in his voice. “Jasper,” she repeated. “Finally, I have a name for my cowboy.” She giggled breathlessly.

“I expect to hear you use it,” he said. “Scream it, Flor. I want to hear how good this feels.” He brought his fingers to spread the outer lips of her sex and leaned to take her clit into his mouth, gently wiggling his tongue over it, smiling when she began chanting his name. “Yes, sweet Flor, just like that.”

Bella was lost in the sensation of his mouth on her. He used his tongue and his fingers intermittently. One was slightly rougher in texture than the other, but both brought her immense pleasure.

“Jasper...Please...More...Ple—ase.” Her voice broke when she felt him insert one finger inside her. Suddenly, her entire being was reduced to the feeling of his finger moving in and out of her. Each movement was bringing her closer to that elusive edge that was both terrifying and exciting to reach. She was beyond words when he added another finger and his tongue focused on licking her most sensitive patch of skin, mewling and crying under the onslaught of sensation.

She screamed when the dam broke and pleasure washed over her, wave after wave of blinding ecstasy. She felt tears rolling down from her eyes, heard her heart racing loudly in her ears, and tried to gasp for breath. This was too good to be real, she thought, and yet it was _that_ good.

Bella barely registered that Jasper—she loved knowing his name now—kissed her sex one last time before climbing up the bed and pulling the blanket over her.

“You are so beautiful when you enjoy yourself,” he whispered.

She opened her eyes to see his eyes smiling down at her. “I love you, Jasper.”

He froze, unprepared for her to say something like that, and Bella felt her heart sink. She did not mean to say it out loud, but she was just so overwhelmed that she couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Te amo, mi flor.” He smiled brightly. “I have never fallen so quickly and so deeply, and I can’t tell you how amazing it is to know that you feel the same.”

“You love me?”

He chuckled. “I love you. I adore you. I need you. I am absolutely and completely taken by you.”

She laughed with him, smiling at the sound of the words he had spoken.

Jasper kissed her again, smiling against her lips. Their happiness was almost palpable, but soon their desire sparked again.

Bella felt braver as she reached for the button on his jeans.

“Flor, if you touch me...I can’t.” He gasped when her hand slid into his jeans and cupped him through his briefs. “I will never pressure you into something, but, Flor, if you touch me, I don’t think I would be able to stop.”

Bella knew that this was the moment she had to make a choice, a moment she had both waited for and feared since learning about the mechanics of sex, but she found no fear in her heart now. He had shown her how beautiful it could be, and she wanted to know more.

“I don’t want you to stop.” She only had one thing she needed to make sure was taken care of. “I only have one concern.” She felt herself blushing. Suddenly, she remembered a phrase she had heard a while back during one of her sex ed classes. _If you can’t talk about it, don’t do it._ “Do you have protection?”

He looked at her, speechless. “Bottom drawer. Are you sure about this, Flor? I don’t want you to regret anything.”

Bella saw how tightly strung he was, felt just how much he was aching for her, and yet he was still thinking about her—placing her needs, her emotions above his. To her, it was further proof of how deeply his emotions truly ran. Emboldened by her effect on him, she moved her hand to the waistband of his briefs and slid it inside, wrapping her fingers around his girth.

He hissed.

“You better get that condom, cowboy.” She felt amazing knowing that she could make him as much of a blabbering fool as he could of her. “I want to see how you ride.”

“You better be careful with that mouth, little girl.” He leaned over her, reaching for the nightstand’s drawer.

Jasper cursed under his breath as he fumbled to open the box. Bella glanced and smiled when she saw that it was still sealed.

“Why should I?” she asked, licking his shoulder and stroking him with her hand and pushing his pants and underwear off.

“Because I am tempted to put it to better uses than talking.” He pulled out one silver-wrapped condom and tore the package open.

He flipped over to kick off his clothes the rest of the way off and rolled the latex on. Turning back, Bella welcomed him between her thighs. He paused, looking into her eyes.

She smiled, feeling his hesitance. She knew that there would be pain, but he had shown her pleasure already, and she knew that the pain wouldn’t last for long. She hitched one leg around his waist and rose to kiss him, telling him without words that she was ready.

There was a sharp tearing feel, followed by rawness, and Bella tensed. It hurt worse than she thought.

“I’m sorry, Flor,” he whispered, kissing tears away from her eyes that she did not even notice forming.

He kissed her gently, pulling her lower lip into his mouth. Then he moved to her jaw, placing soft kisses on the jawline and all the way to her ear. He did not move even when he felt her hold on him relax. He wanted to bring her back to the point where all she could feel was pleasure, to the point where she could no longer remember the pain.

Bella moaned when she felt him nibbling on her skin, sucking on that spot where her shoulder met her neck. His hands were gently massaging her breasts, reminding her of the pleasures she had felt before. The pain and rawness were fading with each kiss, and it did not take long for her to feel only the fullness that was Jasper and her united.

“Remember how good it felt when I placed my mouth on you?” he asked. “I couldn’t have enough of you...I think I can spend hours on my knees before you, worshiping you like a goddess...”

His words sparked memories in her, and her body responded in kind. Her breathing once again turned labored.

“Remember how my tongue felt on your clit?” He sucked her earlobe, sending shivers down her spine when his breath fanned on the sensitive skin. “You felt so good wrapped around my fingers, crying my name in pleasure.”

Bella moaned, tentatively attempting to move her hips.

“You feel so much better around my cock.”

The coarse words were almost as arousing as the memories. He slowly began to withdraw from her body, and when he entered her again, she felt no pain. There was still soreness, but when he withdrew and entered again, her natural lubrication took that away as well.

He was breathing heavily when he spoke the next words. “Wrap your legs around me, Flor. Let me show you...how good it can be to let your cowboy ride you.” He groaned when she obeyed, and Bella moaned in response to the deeper penetration. “Maybe later I will show you how to ride your cowboy.”

She threw her head back, and yelled, “Yes, Jasper...oh, my Go—od...”

He began moving faster, sliding in and out of her body at just the right angle to bring them both the greatest feeling of pleasure in the world. “Yes, Flor, just like that.”

He leaned back on his heels and held her by her thighs, using the new position to thrust deeply while one hand slid to gently rub her clit. He wanted her mad with desire, desperately hoping that he could last long enough for her to come again.

Bella arched, her back coming off the bed completely, when his fingers touched her there. It was becoming too much, but it was a familiar too much. She knew what was over the edge of this mountain, and she wanted to be there, desperately so.

“Dios mío, te quiero tanto.” He leaned down to take her nipple between his lips, and that was all it took.

“I love you, Jasper,” she cried and her world, once again, was made of pure pleasure.

o.O.o

Jasper rode with Bella until the wildflower meadow before they parted. He had received a phone call, which he ignored rather than answering, and said that he was needed at home. She was slightly pouting at the news, but he leaned over to plant a kiss over her lips and left her smiling.

She felt a bit sore, but her mood was light. She knew that she would be smiling like a fool and tried to think about something to say if and when she was asked what happened. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to resist Alice, but she had no desire for Emmett or—God forbid—one of the twins to catch wind of where and what she was doing that afternoon. She wasn’t ashamed of Jasper, but she knew that her parents wouldn’t understand. Charlie would tell her to think about her future, about what Jasper could and couldn’t offer her.

Thoughts of her father’s reaction were solemn enough for her smile to fade slightly as she made her way from the stables to the main house.

It took Alice only one look at Bella’s face to grab her by the arm and drag her upstairs to her bedroom. The room was decorated in fashionable lilac tones with black and purple accents, and Bella had to admit that Alice knew what she was doing when it came to decorating. It still didn’t mean that she was about to give in to Alice and allow her to redo her own bedroom, though.

“Alice, what—?”

“Shhh! Sit!” Alice pointed at the bed and went to her desk. Clicking on the keyboard, she entered the password to her computer and clicked on the play button. The room was soon filled with the catchy pop songs Alice was a big fan of.

Bella rolled her eyes. She didn’t see anyone when she came in and doubted that anyone would be able to hear them through the closed door. However, looking at Alice slumping on the bed and bouncing with excitement, demanding, “Tell me _everything_!” had Bella rethinking her doubts.

“Is it that obvious?” Bella asked, blushing and hiding her face in her palms.

“Um, your clothes are rumpled, you’re walking like you’ve ridden Tara for a little too long, and other than grinning like an idiot, you also have a love bite on your neck.” Alice giggled.

Bella fell to the side, hiding her face in Alice’s pillow.

“Oh, come on, it’s not nice not to share! I want to know details!”

“It was amazing, Alice.” Bella looked up from the pillow. “He was so kind. And it felt just...so...”

Alice squealed.

“Alice!” Bella doubted that even with the music on there was anyone on the ranch who hadn’t heard her sister. “I am trying _not_ to let Dad know about this. Can you imagine his reaction? Or Emmett’s?”

Alice began to giggle. “Emmett will probably try to give you tips about positions and compare your cowboy’s performance to his own.”

“Eww!” Bella made a gagging sound.

“Yeah, totally.” Alice folded her legs beneath her and suddenly became serious. “Did it...hurt really bad?” She bit her lip, her face crumpling with worry.

“Well, it did hurt that first time, but it wasn’t really that bad. Mostly, I felt more sore than anything else.” Speaking to anyone other than her sister, Bella would have been utterly mortified to share such details. She knew, though, that Alice would have told her if the roles were reversed, and she also knew that Alice was afraid of the size differences between herself and Alec. Standing at a meager four-foot-eleven, Alice was more than a foot shorter than Alec’s six-foot-three. The concern was a valid one. “He’s about as tall as your Alec,” she continued, “but after a little while, I pretty much forgot about the pain. It felt good.”

“Really?” Alice asked in a very quiet voice.

Bella nodded. “I’m not saying I won’t be grateful for a warm bath tonight, but I can’t wait to try that again without the soreness.” She giggled, feeling as though her face was on fire. “When do you think you and Alec...?”

“I don’t know. I’m scared Dad would kill me if he finds out, and you know that if Mr. and Mrs. Grant hear about it, Dad’s not going to be left in the dark for long.” Alice shuddered.

“Definitely.”

“We had a close call last week.”

“No way!” It was Bella’s turn to scream.

“Shhh!” Alice hissed. “Do you want me to get killed?”

Bella laughed at her seriousness.

“I’m not kidding. I’d die if anyone hears me talking about this.” Alice bit her lip again. “What about...you know...” she leaned closer and whispered, “the condom?”

“What about it?” Bella frowned, not understanding.

“Did you...? Did he...?” Alice was almost as red as Bella, completely embarrassed to be asking her sister about this. She didn’t want to pry, but she didn’t know anyone else whom she could ask and not die of mortification at the spot.

“He put it on, but I had to mention it,” Bella confessed.

“Was it really awkward?”

“Not really. It was kind of...sexy?” Bella nibbled on her lip. “It was definitely less embarrassing than watching Mrs. Cope and the banana.”

Alice giggled. “Don’t remind me. I think that one is still my number one nightmare.”

“I hear ya.” Bella nodded. “Now, can I pleeeeeease go take a shower? Or is this inquisition not over yet?”

Alice threw one of the pillows at her. “Inquisition? You are an evil, evil woman, Bella.”

Bella laughed and stood up. “Wasn’t there something about pots and kettles and calling?” She put her finger on her chin, pretending to think about it.

“You want an inquisition?” Alice challenged. “You know I can call the terrible two and tell them—“

“Don’t you dare!” Bella cut her off. “They’re even worse than Emmett! And you know that’s saying something.”

Alice nodded. “I can’t wait till we get to college just so I don’t have to stand them. I still don’t understand how it’s possible that I share genes with them.”

“Neither do I,” Bella agreed. “Anyway, I’m going to take a shower. How about I’ll help you with dinner tonight, and you’ll help me with my wardrobe next Saturday?”

“You’re seeing him again next Saturday?”

“If I could sneak out.”

“I don’t understand why he can’t just come see you here. Charlie won’t kill him...probably.” The last addition was a tease, but Bella felt a shiver of fear go through her, regardless.

“Alice...” Bella sighed. “I don’t know if Charlie would approve. He’s a ranch worker.”

“Oh! You never told me _that_.”

“I didn’t know until today,” Bella said. “Speaking of which, do you know who owns the ranch to the far north?”

“I have no idea. I’ll ask Alec.”

“No, don’t!”

“Why not?” Alice frowned. “Alec can keep a secret.”

“It’s just...” Bella sighed again. “The less people who know about it, the better. I know that as soon as you and I leave for college, I could have him visit us and not worry about anyone saying anything.”

“Fine. But you know that if Alec asks, I can’t lie, right?”

“I know, but just...”

“I know.” Alice walked over to Bella and hugged her. “I love you, sis.”

“Love you, too.”

o.O.o

Bella was slightly disappointed when instead of finding Jasper waiting for her at their field—she had now stopped thinking about it as just her field; it was theirs—she found a note from him.

_Mi Flor,_

_I’m sorry I am not here to see you in person, but something came up, and I cannot make it. I’m not sure when things will be sorted out yet, but I’m afraid that I won’t be able to see you before Christmas. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for that, but things are out of my control._

_Please, remember that I love you with my whole heart and that I wish things were different._

_Meet me here on the first day of the next year. I promise that I would fight even the devil himself to make that date and not disappoint you again._

_Love,_

_Your Jasper._

Bella’s mood plummeted, but she understood what he didn’t write. She knew how busy things could get on a ranch before Christmas, and workers often had no control over the decision of the ranch owners.

She tore a page from her sketchbook and wrote a short note of her own.

_My Jasper,_

_Apology accepted. I understand that sometimes things are not up to us to change. I hope that everything works out soon, and I can’t wait to see you again on the first._

_I love you,_

_Your Flor._

She replaced his note with her own and turned back to Tara. New Year’s could not come fast enough.

o.O.o

They did meet again on the first of January, exchanging small gifts for the missed holiday, but their meeting was cut short by Jasper’s phone ringing. Just like last time, she noticed that he grimaced after glancing at the screen but did not answer. When she asked who it was, he avoided a direct answer.

As January turned into February and February into March, Bella began to worry. She had applied to several colleges, including a few universities in Europe and had yet to tell Jasper. They had been growing apart, meeting less frequently, and never was she invited to his cottage again.

At first, Bella thought that it was because Jasper had problems with his employer, but when she mustered up the courage to ask him directly, he seemed confused.

“No, it’s just personal things. I’m sorry that it’s affecting us so much, but I promise that I am taking care of it,” he had said.

Bella tried to calm herself down, but that night when she returned home, she spent an hour crying on Alice’s shoulder.

o.O.o

Things seemed to brighten up when in early April, Jasper showed up with a huge smile on his face. He kissed her more passionately than he had in a long while and asked if she thought she could sneak out on the next day, as he wanted to spend it with her in his cottage.

She was so eager to see him that she agreed instantly, making plans for Alice to cover for her at the friends and family gathering that was planned for the next day at the Grant’s ranch. It was risky, as Bella was a terrible liar, but she wasn’t about to let anything stand in her way.

She ran to him when they had met in the meadow, tumbling them both amidst the wildflowers. He laughed at her eagerness but seemed to be just as excited as she was.

They barely made it to his bedroom, starved as they were. Bella was glad that he had the presence of mind to put on a condom before sliding inside her. She was much too lost in her desire to touch him, to have him fill the emptiness inside her, to remember it.

“I love you so much, Flor,” Jasper whispered once they were satiated.

Bella was still catching her breath, her head lying on Jasper’s chest. “I love you, mi corazón.”

He leaned down to kiss her, taking her mouth in a gentle and lazy kiss, and they made love again. It was slow and reverent, just like their first time together had been.

Jasper made good on his promise. He kissed her legs from ankle to her thigh, sparking her desire and almost torturing her with the pleasure his mouth and hands were giving her.

He looked up into her eyes when his mouth finally descended on her lower lips and he began lavishing attention on her core. Arching her back, she screamed when his fingers slid inside her, his mouth firmly attached to her clit. She was so aroused that she felt the orgasm take over on the second thrust of his fingers.

“Jasper,” she cried.

“You are so beautiful when you fall apart, Flor,” he murmured as he kissed his way up to her breasts. “And I just can’t get enough of your taste.”

Bella bit her lips to stop herself from screaming again when she watched him wrap those pink lips around her nipple and begin to suck on them again.

Reaching for the nightstand, Jasper quickly rolled a condom on and lifted her thighs. He glanced down to see himself disappear inside her lithe body.

“You cannot imagine how much of a turn on is it for me to see myself penetrating you.” His voice was rough as he spoke.

Bella imagined the sight and her muscles tightened around him, making him hiss and utter a curse. She smiled and repeated the motion, timing it with his thrust.

“Minx,” he gritted. “You can’t imagine how good it feels...”

“If it’s anything...as good as...oh, God, right there...”

Jasper chuckled huskily when she couldn’t complete the thought. He brought her right ankle above his shoulder, stretching her and angling himself to use his other hand on her clit. She continued to pulse around him, and he knew that he was very close to his own release.

He turned his head to place a kiss on her ankle, licking on the sensitive skin, and at the same time continued his thrusts and rubbing.

“Jasper!” she screamed, contracting around him with such force that he followed her into the blissful abyss within seconds.

Bella sighed as Jasper gently eased himself out of her. Her body was humming with the remnants of pleasure still coursing through her veins. She was absolutely spent and promptly fell asleep.

o.O.o

As Bella’s graduation grew closer, she knew that she had to speak to Jasper about her acceptance at the University of London as a foreign student. They had an arts program that combined digital art, sketching, drawing, and illustrating with creative writing, comics, and literature. The curriculum was very flexible, and Bella hoped that it would be the first step toward achieving her dream of writing and illustrating her own book.

She wanted to go, but she was fearful of what it would mean for her relationship with Jasper. She had been mulling over how to tell him about it for weeks, ever since the acceptance letters had arrived for both Alice and her. A part of her—a silly, romantic part—wanted him to say that he would come with her. Another part—the realistic one that sounded very much like her father—told her that this would mean the end for them.

Bella had worried herself sick over this, almost literally. With graduation only a month away, she knew that she had to put her big girl panties on and stop behaving like a child.

“You are about to chew your lip off,” Jasper said, pulling her lip from her teeth. “What is it that has you worrying so much?”

“I got accepted to a university,” she began.

“That’s good news, isn’t it?”

She nodded and looked down at her hands. They were sitting in the middle of their field. The flowers were slowly losing their color, and green was slowly giving way to brown and yellow. Summer was coming, but to Bella it seemed as though it was an ominous sign, an end rather than a beginning.

“What is it then, Flor?”

“I got accepted to the University of London,” she whispered.

His hand, which was caressing her back softly, froze. “I assume that it is located in London?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.”

There was a long silence after that, and after several nerve-wracking minutes, Bella couldn’t take it anymore. She looked up at Jasper. He wasn’t looking at her; his eyes were glued to something in the horizon.

“Oh? Is that all you have to say?” she asked, pulling away from his touch.

“What do you want me to say, Bella?”

She didn’t realize how used she had gotten to him calling her Flor until she heard him use her given name. The significance of the change was not lost on her. “Something? Anything would be better than just sitting there like a mute.”

His face turned to her, and she gasped in shock. His eyes were so cold, their color a devastatingly beautiful blue. She could see no warmth, no love in them, and felt her heart lurch to her throat.

“How about, ‘have a safe trip’? Or, ‘when are you leaving? Would you like me to help you pack?'” he snapped, rising to his feet.

Bella looked up at him. She was not sure that her feet would support her, so she did not follow. “Why are you doing this?” she asked in a whisper.

“I’m not doing anything, Bella.” He looked away from her again. “You must have known what this would mean for us.”

The shrug that followed his words and the dismissal in his tone tore at her heart. She sprang to her feet, furious. “I did know that it wouldn’t be simple, but I was expecting more than a simple, ‘fuck you very much’!”

“Such coarse words for someone who was untouched until quite recently.” He tsked, shaking his head in mockery.

Bella staggered, feeling as though he had just slapped her. She took a step back, and then another. “How could you say something like that to me?”

“You have a lot to learn about men, niña. Life is not a bunch of fairy tales with happily ever after endings. Life is hard.” He shrugged. “When are you leaving?”

“Not soon enough, apparently,” she spat. “I thought we had something. I thought...” She shook her head, disgusted with herself.

Jasper was suddenly next to her, his hands cupping her face and his eyes looking down at her with the warmth she loved. “I’m sorry, Flor.” He closed his eyes and leaned down to kiss her.

She desperately clung to him, pouring every last bit of emotion into the kiss. It was a passionate kiss, a hungry one, but it also felt like a goodbye.

“Don’t do this, Jasper,” she begged. “I know it’s not ideal, but there has to be a way to work this out.” She hated the pleading tone of her voice and the tears that were flowing freely. The lump in her throat was choking her, and her chest felt as though someone had just punctured a hole in the middle of it.

“There isn’t,” he said firmly and stepped away from her. The cold returned to his eyes. “You better leave before you’re missed.”

“Will I ever see you again?” she asked in a quiet whisper. It was almost too quiet for him to hear her, but he did.

“Who knows what the future holds?” he asked dismissively, avoiding giving her an answer.

She wanted to scream at him to fight for it, to not give up on what they had. She wanted to hit him hard, slap some reason into him. Then a thought came to her. What did they have? Yes, he said that he loved her, but if he could discard her aside with such ease, did she really mean that much to him?

Wrapping her arms around herself, she took a step back again. “I love you, Jasper,” she whispered.

He didn’t answer in kind. “I must be going,” he said instead. “Good luck, Bella.”

She stood frozen in the wildflower meadow, staring after him, for a long period of time. She felt numb, disconnected. She couldn’t feel her legs, couldn’t tell where her arms were. She could only pinpoint the location of her heart, for it had been ripped open from her chest, leaving a gaping hole.

She had fallen in love in this field, had experienced her first kiss, and to complete the circle, had her heart broken in this field. The tears came then, as she crumbled to the ground, screaming, “Jasper!”

o.O.o

Charlie and Elizabeth grew worried with Bella over the next month. She had barely ate, barely slept, and the smile that they had grown accustomed to seeing on her face for the past year was no longer there. Elizabeth suspected that Bella’s heart was broken, and when she confided in her husband, he was torn between wanting to shoot the man who had hurt his baby girl and wanting to wrap her in a tight hug.

Bella was in no mood for festivities when they returned from the graduation ceremony, but she put on a brave face and joined the family anyway for a celebratory dinner with Alec and his parents.

Later that night, she knocked on Alice’s bedroom door.

“How are you handling this, Alice?” she asked quietly once they both settled down on Alice’s bed.

“Alec?” Alice asked.

Bella nodded.

“It’s going to be hard. We both know it, but it’s not the end of the world.” Alice placed her chin on the pillow she was hugging. “I will come back for the summer, and Alec will try to come to London during spring break. Plus, there are emails, phones, and webcams in the world for a reason.”

Bella tried to smile in reply to her sister’s quip, but the smile was shaky. “He didn’t even want to try that, Alice.” She tried to wipe away the tears that began to roll down her face, but it was of no use. Wherever one was wiped away, another one came. “You should have seen how cold his eyes were. It was like I was a stranger.”

Alice held Bella that night, hurting for the pain her sister was going through. She really wished she could have had Alec tear a new one for that asshole that hurt Bella, but she didn’t know much about him other than his first name and that he worked at a ranch up north.

o.O.o

The transition from sunny Texas to rainy London was hard on both girls, but very soon, the classes and excitement of starting university took over. Bella was still nursing a broken heart and Alice was homesick, so both helped each other to keep themselves busy.

The first year was the hardest. Academically, the workload was much greater than what they had both faced in high school, and while they both spoke English, there were many times when they felt like the people in London spoke a different language altogether. They had both attended a party here and there—Alice enjoying them more than Bella, as always—and both experienced what it meant to get drunk. The next day, both suffering from the worst headache they’d ever had, they swore to keep this to themselves because Charlie would kill them if he found out. They had also vowed to never touch alcohol again in any shape or form. The hangover was just not worth it.

Spring break was the hardest part on both girls. Alec couldn’t make it to London as his vacation time did not match Alice’s, and Bella couldn’t stop thinking about the way she had spent her last spring break back home—in love, happy, without a care in the world.

In mid-June, once the last class for the semester was behind them, Alice and Bella packed their bags and made their way to Texas.

Returning home, Bella felt almost like she had never left. Everything was still there in the same place, and many of her classmates from high school had also returned to spend a week or two with their families.

On one of the last days of her vacation, Bella finally decided to pay a visit to her wildflower meadow. Time did serve to heal a lot of the ache in her heart, and if there was still a dull pulsation in her chest, then she was the only one who knew about it anymore.

She saddled Tara, took a bottle of water for the ride, and turned to the road she had ridden so often during her senior year. Coming back to the small clearing near the stream was hard, but crossing the flowing water into the meadow and seeing that it was completely empty was even harder.

There were no flowers; there was only brown and yellow tall grass. It reminded her of the scene a year ago, and she quickly left. It was still early in the day, and on a sudden whim, Bella decided to ride toward the ranch where Jasper worked. She did not know if he was still there or what she was hoping for—him being there or not—but she rode anyway.

It was a hot day, even for Texas, but the area was still empty of people, as work still had to be done regardless of the weather. She could see Jasper’s cottage, but he didn’t seem to be in at the moment. The blinds were drawn up, but she could see no movement from inside the small house.

She made to turn when she suddenly heard voices. Looking back, she saw Jasper storming out of his cottage, followed by an unfamiliar man. The man was tall—about Alec’s height—but shorter than Jasper. The ma’s hair was a lighter shade of blond, and his skin was almost too pale for a Texan, but she did not miss the similarities between them.

“When will you man up, Jasper?” the man yelled at Jasper. “She’s your wife!”

Bella froze at the sound of those words.

“My _ex_ -wife,” Jasper corrected. “I divorced her cheating ass more than two years ago, and that bastard is not my son.”

“Any idiot can see that he _is_ yours. If you ever bothered to come to the main house, you would see that that little boy is your _son_.”

She was afraid to move. The two arguing men did not seem to notice her yet, and she didn’t want to make a sound that might attract attention to her presence.

“Jane is a lying, deceitful, _bitch_!” Jasper yelled. “You’re a doctor, Carlisle. You know what it takes to create a baby. I didn’t _touch_ the bitch since long before she got pregnant.”

“Is this your payback for being forced to marry her?” Carlisle looked defeated. “You didn’t have to drop out of college, Jasper. Jane would not have minded if you two moved in with us while she stayed at home.”

“Of course she wouldn’t have minded!” Jasper took a step forward. “All she ever wanted was to sit on her ass while everyone danced to her tune, attending to her every need like you and Esme are doing right now!”

“Well, let me tell you something, Jasper, as a doctor.” Carlisle appeared to be just as angry as Jasper but in better control of his temper. “I may not have treated her when she had the miscarriage after your wedding—“

“She was never pregnant to begin with!” Jasper sounded exasperated.

“—but I can see how she could have been stressed enough to lose the baby. What with the way you’re behaving, I can’t blame her for looking for warmth outside her marriage.”

“So what is it, _Dad_?” the word was all mockery, “I stressed her and she cheated on me—that baby being the result—or she was the faithful wife, and I’m the bastard who denies his son? You can’t have both.”

Bella had heard enough. She was well beyond uncomfortable, and she needed a moment to sort her thoughts out. She said a silent prayer in her heart and signaled for Tara to move. She was glad for the wide-brimmed hat that she had chosen to wear that day, as well as for gathering her hair under the hat that helped conceal her amongst the patch of trees she was hiding between. If either of them were to notice her, there was less of a chance the she’d be recognized.

She paused at the clearing near the meadow but did not cross the stream. She sat down, her eyes watching the running water, but her thoughts were still replaying the conversation she had just witnessed.

 _Let’s sort out the facts,_ she thought. Jasper said that he had divorced his wife, Jane, over two years prior. That placed the divorce around the time Bella had met him. From the conversation she overheard, Jane had become pregnant while she was still married, and there seemed to be doubt—at least in Jasper’s mind—about who fathered the child. It also seemed that his ex-wife was still living on the ranch, with Jasper’s parents.

 _So this is the reason he’s living in the cottage, and this is why he never spoke about his family or brought me to meet them,_ she thought. It helped ease her doubts somewhat. For the past year, she had been wondering if she might not have been good enough for him to introduce her to his parents. Now that she saw there was another possible reason, she could put those doubts to rest.

It was time to heal, Bella thought as she stood up again. What Jasper and she had might have been more than a high school crush but clearly not by much.

o.O.o

Bella returned to London on her path to healing. She knew that she would never forget what she had with Jasper, but it was time to put it behind her. Moving on turned out to be harder than Bella had imagined. She compared every man to Jasper and found them lacking. She tried to tell herself that she was simply protecting herself from getting hurt again, but Alice called her out on it when yet another date turned out to be nothing.

“You’re not giving them a chance, Bella.”

“I’m trying, Alice.” Bella sighed, knowing that Alice had a point.

“I know.” Alice sat on the chair in front of Bella’s bed in their dormitory. “I don’t think I could watch you try harder, but...”

“What is it?” Bella put away the textbook she had been reading and focused on her sister.

“Well, I see two options here.”

“Okay.”

“One, you and Jasper are meant to be. If that’s true, then you will find a way to be together. Two, you and Jasper had something. It was great while it lasted, but it wasn’t meant to be. In this case, you need to get out, get drunk, and get laid.”

Bella chuckled. “You know I’m not the type to do that.”

“I know, but do you think it’s the first?” Alice asked seriously.

“I don’t know, Alice.” Bella let out a breath. “If you asked me this last year, I would have said a definite yes. Now...”

“You’re older and wiser?”

“Older, yeah. Not too sure about the wiser part.” Bella smiled.

“What does your heart tell you, sis?”

“I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do.” Alice shook her head. “You’ve always been a terrible liar. You don’t have to tell me the answer, but don’t lie to yourself.”

“When did you get all smart on me?”

“About the same time you got all stupid,” Alice teased.

o.O.o

Alec was able to make it to London during spring break of that year, and Bella found that she could enjoy herself with the happy couple. They were no longer at the obnoxiously sweet stage of their relationship, and Bella felt comfortable hanging around with them.

At the end of their second year in London, Alice flew to Texas without Bella, who decided to stay for a summer internship at a small illustration company, and since she was staying, she also took a few summer courses for extra credit. The pay was terrible and the working conditions deplorable, but it was the first time she had had a chance to put her skills to good use and get paid for it.

Bella missed her perky sister more than she thought possible. She barely had time for herself, but she made sure to check her emails at least once a week and reply to Alice. Bella was beat by the end of the summer but immensely proud of herself. She finally found the idea she had been looking for. It was still a very raw idea, but she had a good feeling about it. She also had only one last semester at school before she went home, so it made her feel even better.

When she met Alice at the airport, late in October just before the start of the school year, she was excited to share the news with her sister. However, when she saw the new piece of jewelry that adored her left hand, all thoughts of school were pushed to the side.

The two girls hugged tightly and squealed so loudly that more than one head was turned their way. Neither of them cared.

“You have to tell me _everything_!” Bella said with a huge smile on her face.

“Let’s get to the dorms first. I want to take a shower, and I am _starving_!” Alice grabbed Bella’s hand and began dragging her out of the airport.

“That’s not fair, Alice!” Bella pouted.

“It won’t work on me, sis. I do it better.” Alice giggled at Bella’s grumble. “Come on. The sooner we get to the dorms, the sooner I can tell you everything.”

o.O.o

An hour later, Alice came out in her comfortable sweats just as Bella paid the delivery boy for the take out.

“Now spill!” Bella ordered. “I can’t wait any longer.”

“Oh, Bella...” Alice sighed happily. “He took me riding, and I couldn’t figure out why we were heading to his parents’ house. Just before we reached the main house, though, he turned and led us to a smaller house, a little further down the road. Oh, you wouldn’t believe how pretty it is! And he said I could decorate it anyway I liked!”

Bella laughed. “Back up, Alice. When did he actually propose? Or did he just take you to the house and told you to decide on the colors of the walls and such?” she teased.

“Oh, shut up! I’m excited.”

“I can see that. You’re bouncing in your seat.” Bella giggled, shaking her head as Alice couldn’t sit still for a moment.

“Anyway...” Alice rolled her eyes, not minding Bella’s teasing. “When we got there, I asked him what we were doing there. He said that he’d tell me everything in a moment. He had arranged for a picnic in the middle of the living room—well, there’s nothing there yet, but I think it’ll be the living room.”

“Alice!” Bella called when Alice did not continue her story, getting lost in her thoughts instead.

Alice jumped. “Sorry.” She grinned. “We finished eating, and then he takes out the ring and asks me to build a house with him. He said so many beautiful things that I don’t even remember half of them.”

Bella smiled when she saw Alice’s happy tears. “And you were probably crying by the time he finished.”

Alice nodded, smiling and crying at the same time. “And then he made love to me in the middle of that house, and it was just...”

“Perfect?”

“Absolutely.” Alice reached for a napkin to wipe away her tears. “I love him so much, Bella. I can’t wait for us to get married. Coming back here after that is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

“Oh, come here, sis.” Bella pulled Alice for a hug and held her until she stopped crying.

Alice told her more details about the house and about the plans she had already started to make. The wedding was set for just a week after their graduation in four months’ time. When Bella wondered about the tight schedule, Alice said that she didn’t want to wait any longer than necessary. Alec was going to take the second semester of the year off for them to get married, go on a honeymoon, and settle down. He was going to go back to finish his degree the following year. Just like Alice, the separation was too hard for him to draw it out.

o.O.o

Halfway through the semester—that was now focused on wedding plans and graduation plans in equal parts—Alice fell ill. It was as though the homesickness had turned into real sickness. Bella made sure that she brought Alice’s assignments back to her and handed in the papers she had written, and Alice would drag herself to classes to take the exams. She refused to go see a doctor, saying that she didn’t have time to be sick.

“But you _are_ sick, Alice,” Bella insisted one December evening. “You can barely keep anything down anymore, and you’re dizzy all the time. I’m worried.”

Alice sighed. “Fine. I promise to go to the doctor after winter break, okay?”

Knowing that this was the best she could have asked for, Bella gave in. She tried not to worry herself, but when she looked up Alice’s symptoms, she was more than halfway to being freaked out.

 _That’s what you get for using Google instead of a doctor to diagnose something,_ she told herself, closing down the window.

“Bella, you look almost as bad as me,” Alice commented the following morning. “Are you catching the bug I have?”

“I don’t think so,” Bella murmured, reaching for a cup to make herself coffee. “I’m just freaking myself out; that’s all.”

“Let me guess.” Alice smiled. “You looked up my symptoms and had nightmares after freaking yourself out?”

“You don’t have to sound so smug about it, Alice,” Bella grumbled.

Alice laughed. “Well, you should know better.”

Bella ignored her, sipping from her coffee. “So what’s on the agenda today?”

“Picking out the flower arrangements and working on the final project for Digital Art, you?”

“I guess I’m helping you with the flowers?” Bella paused to see Alice’s nod. “After that, I have a paper to write, and then sleep.”

“Cool. We can start with the flowers after breakfast.”

“Alice?”

“Yes?”

“How the fuck are you so energetic in the morning?”

“Genetics.” Alice shrugged.

o.O.o

Bella rushed back to the flat she shared with Alice on the first day of classes after the winter break. Alice had her doctor’s appointment that morning, and while Bella tried not to worry herself sick—they didn’t need another sick person at the moment—she was still uneasy.

“Alice? I’m home.”

Bella could hear Alice’s voice as she talked to someone, and when she went to her bedroom she saw that she had her headset on and was talking to Alec via Skype.

“Hey, Alec.” Bella waved.

“He says hi,” Alice supplied when Alec waved on the screen.

Bella smiled. “I’m going to make us lunch. Come to the kitchen when you’re done.” She didn’t know if Alice told Alec how sick she had been, so she did not mention anything while Alec could hear.

A few minutes later, Alice came to the kitchen.

“Well, you’re smiling, so it can’t be bad.” Bella glanced back at her.

“It’s not bad.” Alice sat down on the chair and turned to watch Bella as she peeled potatoes. “I’m pregnant.”

Bella dropped the peeler and potato she was holding and swung around. “What did you just say?”

“I’m pregnant.”

Bella was fairly certain that she was doing a good imitation of a fish, gaping at her sister.

Alice giggled. “I swear, I should take a picture of you like this.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Bella chuckled. “Congratulations?”

“That works.” Alice nodded. “Alec is ecstatic.”

“I’m going to be an aunt.” Bella slid down to the chair, still slightly in shock. “You’re going to be a mom?” She looked up at Alice, phrasing the words as a question more than a statement.

“That’s usually how it works.”

o.O.o

After recovering from her initial shock, Bella was almost as excited as Alice about the pregnancy. Alice decided to wait to tell their parents until after graduation—in two months’ time—so the only ones who knew were Alec and Bella.

Alec wanted to drop everything and come to London as soon as he heard, but Alice told him to stay put or else, threatening him with some serious bodily harm. He wasn’t too happy, but he saw reason in finishing his semester. He had already notified the college that he would be taking a break after that semester and coming back only next year; there was no need to change it now.

It did mean, however, that Bella got to go with Alice to all of her appointments and play aunt. She found that she enjoyed people’s reactions when they saw two women in the health clinic and assumed that they were romantic partners.

Alice had a minor crisis when she was told that she would have to prepare room for not one but two babies. She sat in the doctor’s office, gaping at the woman in the white lab coat for several minutes while the news settled in.

“I’m going to kill Alec,” Alice murmured when they got home.

Bella laughed. “It’s not his fault, you know. You’re the one with the twins in the family.”

Alice glared at her. “I am going to _kill_ Alec, and you are going to help me hide the body. Now, get out of the way, I need to pee.”

Bella didn’t bother hiding her amusement as Alice continued to grumble all the way to the bathroom and even when she got out. Most of it was unintelligible, but from what she had heard, Bella figured Alec was going to have to do some serious damage control.

o.O.o

Alice didn’t end up killing Alec. In fact, by the time she had called him on Skype, she was smiling and excited about the news. Alec took it about as well as Alice had at first, gaping at the screen in shock. This time, Alice saw the funny side of it. It took several minutes of arguing—as well as Bella’s swearing that she would make sure Alice was taking care of herself—to stop Alec from catching the next plane to London.

Come graduation, the entire Swan clan flew into London, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Grant. Emmett brought Rosalie along; they had moved in together after Emmett’s graduation, and Bella thought that it wasn’t farfetched to think that Emmett would pop the question sometime soon. Lauren and Jessica couldn’t bring their boyfriends but were too excited about visiting London to be upset about it for long. Peter and Charlotte—Alec’s older brother and his wife—were unable to come but sent warm congratulations for Alice and Bella. Charlotte had just recently given birth to the couple’s first child—a girl by the name of Maria—and couldn’t travel just yet.

Bella and Alice exchanged amused glances as they stood with the rest of the graduates, waiting for their names to be called. Alice and Alec still hadn’t shared their news with either set of parents—they planned to do it later that night—but Alice was too tiny to hide it well. They both had noticed how their mother and Mrs. Grant looked at Alice with suspicion.

Everyone were staying at the Hilton—including Alice and Bella, who had vacated their flat earlier that day—and after making a stop at the hotel for a quick change of clothes for the girls, everyone went out to dinner.

Alice and Alec decided to make the announcement during the main course.

“If we could have your attention for one moment,” Alec began once the dishes were served. “Alice and I have an announcement to make.”

“You’re getting married. We already know that,” Lauren said. “What?” she asked when everyone turned to give her a reproving look.

“Please continue, dear,” Mrs. Grant said, turning to Alec.

“Well, this came a little bit earlier than we had anticipated, but we are happy to tell you that we’re pregnant.” Alec was smiling so brilliantly as he looked at Alice that Bella felt a tug in her chest.

Jasper had once looked at her like that, she mused but quickly shook that thought away.

There was a chorus of congratulations and well wishes, and the conversation revolved around the wedding and babies for the rest of the dinner.

o.O.o

Alice’s wedding was beautiful, with mountains of flowers and an aisle set in the middle of the Grants’ huge backyard. Bella thought that even at five months with twins, Alice looked absolutely amazing in her off-the-shoulder white dress, with fresh flowers woven into her dark hair.

In preparation for the wedding, Bella decided to move back into her parents’ house. She would start thinking about getting her own place—in the city or on the ranch—once everything calmed down. Bella tended to lean toward staying close. She knew that she would want to see as much of her new nieces or nephews as would be possible and that Alice would love the help.

She had also begun going to her wildflower meadow again. Not very often, as there was plenty to do, but whenever there was a spare moment, she’d sneak out. Unlike the times she has come there in her teenage years, now she came there with a purpose. She was still scared of letting anyone know that she finally began working on her first book. She was hoping to get at least the first draft ready by the time Alice’s twins were born.

She still got the feeling that she was being watched sometimes, but whenever she lifted her eyes, there was no one there. She had thought about Jasper often, but no longer did the memories hurt her. She assumed that it was a sign she was finally healing.

On one such visit, she brought a blanket with her. Sitting down on it, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling the different scents of the surrounding nature. She smiled when she thought she could smell the scent that was purely Jasper and laughed at her wishful thinking.

“I was hoping that you’d come again, Flor Silvestre.”

She opened her eyes in surprise and smiled. She remembered him saying something very similar long ago. “Fancy seeing you here, Cowboy.”

“May I sit?”

“You may.” Curious to see what he had to tell her after all these years, she remained quiet and let her eyes roam his face. He had a few wrinkles near his eyes that he didn’t have three years ago, and his skin was a bit darker in color; but other than that, he hadn’t change much.

“I wanted to say I’m sorry, Flor.”

She smiled sadly at her old nickname. “What are you apologizing for?”

“For hurting you, for breaking your heart,” he said. “For treating you in a way that would have earned me a lecture from my mother had she heard me.”

“How about for giving up, not fighting for us?” she asked quietly. It was not the accusation she would have thrown at him back then. This time, it was an honest question.

“I am sorry for that as well, more than you can imagine.” He took off his Stetson and passed a hand through his hair, making her smile at the familiar gesture. “I did not think that I had a right to fight for you, or that I had anything to give you that was worth keeping you from your future.”

“Will you tell me about it?”

“It’s a long story,” he warned.

“I have time.”

So he told her everything, beginning with his young-self’s first year in college. He had drunk and partied most of his first semester, his grades only just barely enough to keep him in school. Then he met Jane. He thought her a party girl, so when one thing led to another one night, he wasn’t surprised to find himself in bed with her. Though he clearly remembered using protection, Jane came to him claiming she was pregnant two months later. She had done so at a family event and was overheard by his father, Carlisle.

“Carlisle had insisted that I do the right thing, and while I wasn’t too happy about it, I was a man of honor. So I married her. A few weeks after the wedding, she told me that she had had a miscarriage.”

“Did you believe her?”

“I did at first, and I blamed myself for it. Somehow, during that time, I had grown to think about the baby as a little person, part me and part her. When she told me she lost the baby, I felt guilty for not caring for her enough, for maybe not loving her enough.”

“What happened then?”

“One day, I overheard her talking to one of her girlfriends. I didn’t catch all of the conversation, but when Jane suggested that her friend tell her boyfriend that she was pregnant so he’d be forced to marry her, a warning light came on. I continued to listen to the conversation. The next thing Jane said was that after the marriage, she could just tell him that she had a miscarriage, that it was a foolproof technique.”

Bella was staring at him in shock, her eyes wide, gasping.

“Yes, that was my reaction. I confronted her then, accusing her of being a lying bitch before I left the house, slamming the door behind me.” He hung his head, and his voice grew quieter. “I was sure I was going to kill her, so instead of going back home and risk becoming a murderer, I got drunk. I stayed over at a friend’s house for several days after that. I couldn’t tell anyone how thoroughly I had been played. When I got back home, I filed for divorce and moved out of our bedroom.”

“What did Jane do?”

“What she did the first time. She said she was pregnant.”

Jasper sounded bitter, and Bella thought back to the conversation she had overheard.

“This time she was pregnant, wasn’t she?” she asked.

He nodded. “I don’t know who fathered that baby, but it wasn’t me. No one believed me though, not even my own father.”

She couldn’t hear the sadness in his voice and not offer some measure of comfort. She placed her hand on his shoulder and gave him a soft squeeze, offering him support without searching for words that might not be the right ones to say.

“Jane moved in with my parents after we separated, and I had to threaten her with telling them exactly how she was able to get me to marry her before she signed the divorce papers.” Jasper looked up and turned to Bella. “The divorce was finalized on the day I first met you. I had discovered this meadow by accident while I was looking for a place to think. When I saw you, I was completely captivated.”

Bella smiled. “As I was with you.”

He returned her smile briefly before returning to his story. “But just when I thought my luck had turned, Jane began stirring up trouble. She would throw a hissy fit every time my name was mentioned in the same sentence with another female, no matter if it was the veterinarian, my attorney, or an old lady.” He gave a humorous chuckle. “When Jane gave birth, I didn’t bother going to the hospital. I stopped speaking with my father when he decided that he believed her over me, and I saw no reason to show up in the delivery room after that.”

“I can’t blame you.”

Jasper took her hand in his and interlaced their fingers, grateful for her understanding and support. “I didn’t care that everyone on the ranch thought that I’d abandoned my child, but having my parents doubting me was the worst.”

“Did she ever come clean?”

“She had no choice.” He smirked, a mean glint appearing in his eyes. “Carlisle’s a doctor. He took care of Jane throughout the pregnancy and after the childbirth. He began to have doubts when Jane started avoiding appointments. Finally, he ordered a paternity test.”

“Jane had some explaining to do.”

“She didn’t stick around long enough to do that.” Jasper sighed. “She had had one of her famous headaches when Carlisle approached her. While he was visiting me to tell me about what he had learned and to try to make peace between us, she made her escape.”

“She just left?” Bella’s tone was partly shocked and partly outraged.

“Took the baby and left. Didn’t even leave a letter.” Jasper shook his head, chuckling. “That was the best thing she could have done, though. I think Carlisle was ready to cause her some serious damage. He’s the least violent person I have even known in my life, so that says a lot.”

“I heard you argue once,” Bella confessed. “During a vacation from school, I came back to see how you were and overheard parts of the argument. I’m sorry for spying on you.”

Jasper smiled. “So it _was_ you that day. I’ve been wondering about it. I don’t mind. I’m just sorry I couldn’t tell you everything while it was happening.”

“I don’t think I would have understood.”

“Do you think we could start over? Go on a proper date this time?” he asked hesitantly.

“I don’t think that we need to start over”—Bella smiled—“but a date sounds like a good idea.”

“May I kiss you, Flor?” he whispered, leaning toward her. “I’ve been living with nothing but memories of your taste, and I can’t go a minute longer without kissing you again.”

She closed the distance between their mouths as a reply, kissing him with all of the passion she had in her. It was like breaking the seal she had placed on her feelings three years ago. That small part of her heart that had always ached when she saw other happy couples healed. She was made whole again.

o.O.o

Bella walked slowly down the narrow, well-worn path in the middle of the wildflowers field, the wind gently caressing her cheeks. It had been her favorite place in the entire world ever since she had first discovered it years ago. She fell in love there; she had her heart broken and mended there; she wrote her first book there; she said, “Yes,” there; and now she was about to say, “I do,” there.

She could still remember that first time she had stumbled upon the field. She never imagined that going there would change her life, but as she walked toward her green-eyed cowboy, wearing a white dress and holding a bouquet of wildflowers, she knew that she had made a complete circle.

“I promise to love...”

“...to cherish...”

“In sickness and in health...”

“...for richer, for poorer...”

“Till death do us part.”

“I do.”

She was home.

\- The End -


End file.
